Show us your . . . awesome autumn colours!

CRAIG Baxter’s photo on page 13 yesterday, showing the ‘‘autumn gold’’ of trees on Lake Hayes, has prompted me to bring forward, by a week or so, our annual feature of reader photographs highlighting this most colourful of seasons.

I do so not fully convinced that all of our province is in ‘‘full’’ autumn mode yet, as during the long Easter weekend I noticed quite a variation in colours in Central Otago, for example, with lots of trees still to ‘‘turn’’ and holding their greenness.

Joy Bennett, our reliable and talented Alexandrabased observer of such things, agreed with me recently, saying the colours were still ‘‘very patchy’’.

‘‘There can be an area of brilliant colours and yet trees right beside them are quite green. Can’t wait for that real warm autumn glow from the colours,’’ she said.

So, that said, The Wash is today calling for reader entries in our ‘‘awesome autumn’’ photo series because I want to give everyone plenty of ‘‘heads up’’ time. There are a couple of rules too.

Photographs should be taken THIS year (hence the early warning!)

Entries (one per reader please) to be captioned with details of where and when the photo was taken, plus names of any people shown.

Please include your name, postal address and contact phone number.

Email entries to the wash@odt.co.nz, slugged ‘‘awesome autumn’’.

We will publish a selection of these photographs and reward the best with the customary chocolate bars. So, get out those cameras and start clicking.

We are looking for innovation and excellence with your pictures such as captured by last year’s ‘‘winner’’, Pedro Pimental at the Orchard Garden near Alexandra, and republished today.